What A Legion Can Do
by thejarlofboobs
Summary: With his brother and guardian in the PRT, Nikil Patel has always been afraid of telling his brother the truth about himself. But after a kidnapping attempt, Nikil will be forced to tell him. He has a dream for a safe Brockton Bay, a dream he now has the power to realize. But what will Nikil lose as he tries to protect his city?
1. Chapter 1

They dragged the kid into the warehouse, with a bag over his head and no restraints, thanks to Regent's talents. _Though 'kid' is a bit of a misnomer,_ mused Tattletale _He'd be a line backer, if he had muscle instead of that bit of chub._ Indeed, the "kid" would have stood over six feet tall and probably taller than Grue, had the sedatives and Regent's control not been keeping him from standing. Earlier in the alley where they forced the target to walk to, after they had used the sedatives their employer had supplied, Lisa had asked Regent if his control would be permanent while the kid was like this.

"No _"_ she remembered "I'll only be able to grab and maintain control of this guy when he's drugged like this. Once they wear off, it'll be like trying to take control of any other person _."_ So, they had a time limit. Grue put the kid on the lone chair next to a small table, conveniently set up in the middle of the warehouse. _Coil thinks of everything. Except actually telling us what the fuck we're supposed to do with this kid_.

* * *

Their employer had called her just a few hours prior, the day before the planned bank heist. "The heist is now unnecessary Tattletale. Your team can still proceed with what you have planned, if you so choose, but know that you will no longer have my support. Not during the heist itself, not after with the laundering and depositing of the money, and _definitely_ not with getting you and your team out of PRT custody once you are caught." He paused; partly for dramatic effect and partly to let her respond, she surmised.

Through gritted teeth she responded, "Well boss, you wouldn't have called just to tell me that. What do you need now?" Her power told her he was smiling; underneath that snake themed condom he called a costume.

"Your team's new assignment is the abduction of one Nikil Patel, a high school student at Arcadia. I have already texted you his picture. He will be taking the city bus home from school in three hours. Pick up the sedatives I have had delivered to the PO box and have Regent control him. Walk him to the 'Jim's Porkyard' warehouse in the docks, cover his head with a bag, and put on your costumes. I will contact you once you are all inside the warehouse."

"I assume we'll be paid, especially considering how you jipped us by backing out on the bank job?" Baiting Coil was a dangerous game, but one Lisa loved to do.

"You still have the option of under taking that mission, just without my support," _Which means it's a suicide mission_ "Your team will each be paid $10,000 in cash for your services. This is satisfactory."

Lisa didn't need her power to know that last part wasn't a question. One does not negotiate money with Coil. "Fine, ta ta for now." she said, ready to cut the call.

"Oh and one more thing Tattletale," his silky voice whispered "I need your whole team on this. Nikil may not look like much, but he is not to be underestimated. Skitter and her insects will go a long way towards intimidating him. Goodbye, and do not disappoint me."

* * *

 _An absolute creep_ she thought. Her power had given her a pretty good indication of why he didn't need the bank heist anymore, but why he needed Nikil, she still didn't know. She remembered texting Taylor and learning she had a test she couldn't skip and shopping with her father she couldn't get out of. Skitter had promised to meet them at the loft later, after the job was done. So Lisa had gone ahead and told the rest of the Undersiders the plan, leaving Brian and Alec to handle the abduction, while Rachel, her dog Brutus and Lisa herself met them at the warehouse. The girls were waiting in costume while the boys dragged the target in. "Sorry, the sedatives are almost worn off. Guy must be too fat for the dose." Alec said as Grue got Nikil into position.

"It's fine," Tattletale told him "Just go get dressed." Brian's costume was easy; he put on his leather jacket and the motorcycle helmet, and he was done. Alec had to strip down to his briefs to get his costume on, so he went into the backroom for some privacy.

They arranged themselves around him, Tattletale close to him and next to the table, directly in front of him. Grue was a few yards behind her, to her right, near the table. Rachel was equally as far back, on her left, holding the chain she used as Brutus' reins as she sat on top of him. He was the size of a small car now, and growing still.

"Now what Tattletale?" Grue asked.

"Now we wake him up, and find out why the boss would want him." she replied.

"He didn't tell you?"

"No. Bastard never tells me anything. Now, wake him up."

Sighing, Grue took the bucket of water that had been placed under the table ( _Did Coil want us to wake him up?_ Lisa thought) and threw the contents of the bucket into their hostages face. Nikil spluttered and gasped for breath under the wet bag, but didn't swear or jump out of his seat like she expected. _Either he's been in this position before, or the kid was more awake then he let on_ , Lisa thought, as she reached forward and rip the bag up and off his head.

He glared back at them. Slightly long nose, tan skin, strong jaw; he'd be handsome if it didn't look like he was trying to kill them with just his dark eyes. "Sooooo, know who we are, grumpy?" Tattletale asked, let her voice be more cheerful and half an octave higher than it was. _Always gets men to put their guard down when I talk like that. Some women too._

Nikil took a breath and looked her in the eye. "Tall, dark and motorcycle fetish over there is Grue. The ugly girl over there with the growing monster dog must be none other than Bitch, most apt description I've ever heard," he muttered the last part, then continued in his loud voice "Regent must be off somewhere adjusting his thong and fishnets, and I'd bet my life that bug girl is somewhere in the shadows of this steaming pile of crap you call a hideout, probably ready to drop a thousand bugs on my head if I even try to get out of this chair. And finally, you're Tattletale, based on process of elimination, and the pink eye on your chest."

As he analyzed them, her power started doing the same to him. _Overweight, but working to lose the excess weight. Faster than he looks, fast reflexes, not parahuman in origin. Smart, but convinces others he's smarter or dumber, depending on what suits his purposes. Stubborn, arrogant, and very quick to anger. Orphan, raised by one male guardian, uncle? No, older brother, at least an 8 year gap. Knowledgeable, knows more than is available on Parahumans Online. Brother is cape? No, brother is at least as tall as him, if not taller; no cape in Brockton Bay is that tall, except for Manpower, whose identity is public. Brother is PRT; Nikil's natural muscle structure is not inconsiderable, despite only recently having started working out. Field agent, must care for his own body and regularly exercise. Why did he let his brother get fat? Negligence? No, guilt, blames parents' deaths on himself? His brother IS the cause of his parents' deaths._

Tattletale smiled. She had what she needed.

"Oh, do you like looking at my chest?" she purred, and gave him her best flirtatious smirk. _Now the poor boy will blush, and get nice and flustered. What is it about hormones that make schoolboys so easy to figure out?_

Instead, he gave her a savage grin and replied "It's better than looking at that thing you call a face. Good thing you wear that skimpy mask, I definitely needed the filter. Though in the future, cover up more, please? It was kind of you to put that bright symbol right on your chest too, draws the eye right to your only salvageable assets, though if I had to guess, you use a powerful pushup bra to keeps those saggy things in control. All in a bid to try to sucker poor, innocent little boys like me, eh?" As he finished he winked and stuck his tongue out at her.

Off to her right, she heard Grue cough. _Trying not to laugh_ her power told her, not that she didn't already know. _For once, I'm glad Regent's ridiculous frilly crap takes so long to put on. He'd be shitting himself from laughing so hard._

She mustered her trademark grin and leaned forward, till she was almost nose to nose with him. _Moderately strong cologne, shaved this morning, tropical smell, made by the commercial tinker_ Essence. _Expensive, but made affordable by the discounts PRT workers and their families receive on certain tinker made goods._ She drew her pistol, and laid it on the table, with the barrel facing him. "Now now Nikil, play nice, or we won't. We can do a lot of harm to you here, and elsewhere. I know for instance, that you only have a little bit of family, just an older brother. We could hurt him, or you could tell us what we want to know, up to you. Now, did your dear older brother ever tell you any juicy PRT secrets at the dinner table?" _Now, he's gonna snap at me, better take a step back._

For a moment he was silent, just watching her. Then he chuckled and said in a quiet voice, barely audible to her, "Your name should be bitch, you know that? Brother dear did tell me one little secret; if I'm ever in trouble with some capes, to hold the two buttons on my watch to activate the tracker, so he could send a squad after me. And when it vibrates, they're near my location, waiting for the signal to move in."

Her power seemed to scream at her as her mind raced to process the new information it seemed to throw at her. _He noticed two new faces on a bus filled with mostly Arcadia students, large black man, slight figured curly haired teenager. He deduced they were Grue and Regent then? No, he waited and noticed that they stayed on the bus as it emptied on its way to the docks. He didn't identify them till he felt Alec slip they syringe into his arm. Grue and Alec never noticed Nikil reach for the buttons on his watch, too busy watching the bus driver for signs of reaction._

His watch gave a short buzz, and he gave them one last grin.

He kicked her hard in-between her legs, and not for the first time, she thanked God she wasn't a man. But still, she swore all she saw for the next couple of seconds was red. The kick was powerful enough to drive the air from her lungs, and distract her long enough for his fist to slam into her jaw. _I think he broke my tooth_ she thought dimly as the ground rushed up to meet her, and darkness washed over her.

At first she thought she was unconscious, and then realized how ridiculous it was to be able to think and be unconscious. The darkness was Grue's, and left her deaf and blind, but her power started working overtime to fill in the blanks of what was going on in the darkness. _Nikil grabbed her gun, and fumbled to turn off the safety, while Grue ran forward and moved her out of the way. He stood up and rushed the kid. Too close to change direction when he heard the click. So close Nikil couldn't miss. Hit in his gut then the right side of his chest, directly opposite the heart. His momentum was still enough to bowl over the teen. The darkness dissipated as he lost consciousness._

Lisa was able to see again and craned her neck to check on Grue. He'd collapsed on top of the kid, who was simultaneously trying to shove him off and raising his gun at her. She attempted to scramble to her feet, when suddenly her ears were ringing, and her costume felt wet. _Gunshot too close, impact in shoulder, going into shock_. Rachel growled and attempted to rush forward on Brutus, but stopped when bullets tore into the ground in front of her. _Wrong angle, not Nikil._

She moved her head to follow the angle the bullets had hit, and saw Miss Militia sliding down a rope that descended from a broken skylight in the ceiling. The barrel of her submachine gun was smoking. Around her, several more ropes carried half a dozen PRT troops.

"Rachel Lindt, AKA Hellhound, you are under arrest. Stand down. Now." The young woman and her dog were covered in Christmas lights, from the seven laser sights trained on her from the ground, as well as the three additional ones covering her from the roof.

Lisa was in too much pain, _too selfish,_ to yell out her warning. Rachel charged and all ten rifles emptied their magazines.

This time, Lisa did pass out.


	2. Chapter 2

_Nikil wasn't exactly a normal kid_ Niall said. The video wasn't the best quality, but it was enough.

 _He was talkative and made friends, but never wanted them over to hangout. Called them pawns, and weak minded. It was kinda cute, when he was little. But he kept on saying it. Finally, at home after his 11_ _th_ _birthday party, he complained to Mama that those kids at his party were so stupid, so easy to fool. She immediately turned and slapped hard across the face. Mama had a mean backhand, always kept her rings on when she did it too. I remember her telling him_ "Never underestimate anyone, raja. Never."

 _Our mother was always tough, but fair._ Niall chuckled, and the sound distortion from the old video somehow made it sound bitterer than Niall had probably ever intended.

 _I suppose we never appreciated her enough before she passed. A strong woman, who didn't take anyone's bullshit. Our father was always the opposite. Calm, where she was angry, trusting, where she was cautious, and extragavent, where she knew to be frugal. Every time our mother hit us or yelled at us, our father would "make it up to us"_ Niall emphasized this point by motioning with his fingers, then laughed again. _More like spoil us._

 _Little trips, meals outside the house, presents we couldn't afford. I used to think I was like my father, naive and giving, and that my brother was the hard one, the mama's boy. And in the end, I suppose that was true. But in the beginning there, the first few years without them, I think it was the opposite. I tried to be lenient with him, but in some ways, I was harder than Mama ever was._

* * *

"That seems a bit unnecessary." I told my brother as he attempted to squeeze the life out of me. The bulky PRT armor and standard issue rifle poking me in the ribs didn't exactly make it comfortable. _I really hope he put the safety on after what happened in there_.

"What, my hugging?" he giggled. _Seriously, what grown ass man giggles?_ But somehow, my tough as nails PRT trooper of a brother did.

"I was more talking about that execution in there."

Niall pulled away and looked at me seriously. "Hellhound is a known dangerous parahuman with several murders on her record. She was exerting her power to its full extent and charged at us. We didn't have much choice, you know."

"Then what the hell are your foam sprayers for, if not for containing a dangerous Brute?" I snorted. _He'll weasel out of this. He always does._

"Well one, she's classified as a Master, that just happens to make Brutes," he said, holding up a finger for each item in his list of bullshit, "Two, foam sprayers aren't exactly easy to bring while you're sliding down a rope Nikil. Three, they just don't have the stopping power to stop that much monster dog. It would have slowed Hellhound down, sure, but she still would have reached us, and still would have ripped us apart. Then what? You'd be an orphan, kamina."

I turned away and surveyed the scene. They'd brought out this big cart thing for the bodies; one Niall told me was designed for oversized Brutes. They were using it to move a big lump covered in black tarp out of the old warehouse's loading bay doors, and into the back of a PRT van. _Bitch and her dog are under there, dead because I was stupid enough to get kidnapped._

I'd been the first thing they'd taken out of that warehouse. _Easy, when you're rescuer is 6 and a half feet tall and bigger than most Brutes_. Niall had grabbed me and rushed out of there. And started hugging me in the middle of the street. _There goes any street cred taking out two supervillians would have gotten me._

Next out were Grue and Tattletale, hustled out on two gurneys by PRT medics. They'd wake up in the medical care (and custody) of the PRT, in their Brockton Bay headquarters by the beach. "If they're good little prisoners," my brother had told me, with a grin on his face "we'll get Panacea to look at those bullet holes. Or we might not. Nice shooting, by the way. I knew taking you to the range was a good idea."

 _More like a terrible idea. That Tattletale was pretty cute; I didn't want to shoot her._ But I had had to. _She should have stayed down._

Then, they brought out the evidence. The chair, the table, the bucket and the pistol and the bullet casings, even my school bag. All of it was loaded on to the forensics van, which was still awaiting the blood samples and fingerprints I knew were being collected in there.

I sighed. "Fine, you're right. I'm glad you shot her. At least it spared me the horrible experience of being an orphan."

Niall grimaced. _Yeah, squirm you asshole_. He put his arm around me and said "Look, I already took your statement; I can get one of the vans to drop you home. I'll submit my report to HQ, grab your bag from forensics, and bring a pizza home for dinner, ok? We can even watch one of those Earth Aleph shows you like."

 _I have to tell him, no more delaying. After this, he deserves to know._ "Actually Niall, there's something I need to tell you." I adjusted my feet, and flexed my fingers. Nervous habit, I suppose. _Why am I nervous? Just tell him, you pussy!_

"I've been delaying, because I didn't know how you'd react, but after this... I had to tell you." I paused, readying myself to tell him.

"You're gay."

"What? No, you asshole-,"

"It's okay, I understand. You were afraid of how your older brother would react. I get it. What kid as deep in the closet as you wouldn't be scared? But newsflash, little brother. This is the 21st century. Legend is the leader of the Protectorate, gay marriage is legal in all 50 states, and I have, like, three gay friends-,"

"NO YOU FUCKER, I'M NOT GAY!" I sighed, trying to rein in my volume, so other people wouldn't over hear us. _And he's still laughing_.

I punched his stomach as hard as I could, and immediately prayed my hand was still in one piece. _What's their armor made of, mithril?_ Somehow, he was laughing harder than before.

"Niall, I'm not gay," I said, calmer than I rightfully should have been, "I'm a parahuman."

He immediately stopped laughing, and pushed me further across the street, away from the other PRT troopers, who were still chuckling at my outburst. "Are you serious? What's your classification? Is that how you escaped?"

 _Typical PRT trooper, always gotta start interrogating_. "Yes, Tinker, and no. I'm just awesome." I flashed him my best shit-eating grin.

"This is not something to fuck with me about!" he hissed. "It is very bad news for a PRT officer to not tell HQ of a suspected parahuman, especially family."

He sighed and pushed me over to the nearest van. "Let's go. I'm taking you to Piggot, and begging her not to fire me." With that said, Niall sat me down in the van, and quickly spoke to his CO in a whisper. His squad and he loaded up, and then we were on our way.

 _Well, that's about what I expected._

* * *

We slowed to a stop in what I knew to be the PRT garage. I couldn't see it, being in a windowless APC and underground and all, but I had seen it enough. _A futuristic looking blocky structure made of glass and tungsten-steel alloy, with a great view of the ocean and the Boardwalk. And Leviathan crashing into them, should he ever come to town._

The doors opened, and we stepped out. Niall handed his helmet and rifle to a squad mate before putting his hand on my shoulder and guiding me to the elevator. "Come on. I already radioed the Director with the gist. She's expecting us. The less we keep 'The Pig' waiting, the better."

The fact that he still had a pistol communicated what I had already suspected. _You're my prisoner. Don't do anything stupid._

The elevator ride up was uneventful. I'd never been up to the head offices before but my brother had described it to me well enough, and when the doors opened, I saw my brother wasn't bad at descriptions. The offices were laid out like a police station, open desks covered in stacks of paper, telephones and computers. There were doors around the mess, leading to personal offices, small conference rooms and to the Protectorate side of the building. On the far side of the room, across from the largest conference room, stood two heavy oak doors. _The Pig's sty_. Today, it seemed like everyone was in a rush, with several people running around with papers, a few yelling in phones, and the rest typing furiously into laptops.

"Is all this commotion just for me?" I asked Niall, as he led me across the room.

"No," he replied grimly. _I think I preferred him laughing at me_. "The mayor's niece has been kidnapped. It normally wouldn't be our department's problem, but her mother came out and told us that Dinah was a precog. One powerful enough for the group that kidnapped her to kill her father in front of her, and drag her out of the car, cut up from the windshield they'd shot out to get to her." He grinned at me, but his eyes were angry. "We live in such a great city, huh?"

I didn't reply, as we had reached our destination. The heavy oak doors. Niall knocked, and women's voice answered, "Enter."

 _I am already scared Emily, you need some chill._

I didn't think her description would be this accurate. Across the room, behind a large wooden desk, sat a larger woman. Obese and black, she wouldn't have been attractive, even if she wasn't trying to kill us with her stare. On the desk, one lone computer screed and telephone sat, next to a stack of papers and a jar of pens. _Already got the paperwork ready to sign my life away, Pig?_

"Sit, both of you." She waited while we did as she ordered then continued, "Officer Patel, your report."

Niall quickly gave his report, being extra official with all the extra 'yes ma'ams.' _That ass-kissing is probably the only thing keeping us alive_. Then Piggot turned to me. "Now Niall, tell me. You're a tinker, yes?" _Not a question_. "So, how is it that you were able to take down two supervillians, without any of your 'gear'?"

"Well, erm, ma'am, I distracted Tattletale with talking while I waited for the PRT to arrive. That bi- I mean, very not nice lady, really likes to talk. So, when my watch buzzed, I did the logical thing and kicked her in the crotch." I followed this little anecdote with my trademarked grin. _Not the time Patel._

"Officer Patel's report states you were able to shoot Grue, twice, whilst inside his darkness. How?"

"Honestly ma'am, he was so close, I really couldn't miss. I knew where he was gonna charge from and just shot. I couldn't really miss Tattletale either. Niall taking me to the range probably saved my life though. Or at least my pretty face." _Goddamnit, really? Can't you stop?_

"Well we wouldn't want to lose that pretty face. Now Officer Patel, explain to me _exactly_ why you did not inform me of the presence of a new parahuman not only in our city, but in your own home?"

Before brother dear could dig his own grave, I intervened. "Director Piggot, it was my fault. As a tinker, he would not have been able to find out I had triggered, unless he found my gear. But he works so much, you know, so he's never home long enough to do much more than eat and go to bed. Plus I never gave him reason to suspect anything. My trigger event wasn't exactly public you know," I gulped, and continued, trying to ignore her demonic gaze burrowing into my skull. "Please don't fire Niall. He's one of your best troopers, with more arrests and take downs than anyone else in the Brockton Bay branch. So please, don't fire him."

 _Now I'm begging. My shitty attempts at wit were probably more appropriate._

Piggot smiled "Thank your brother, officer. He just saved your ass. Now, I can't make you do this, but I strongly suggest you fill out these papers to make him a Ward. Wouldn't want to owe him another one, now would we?" With that, she leaned back in her chair, sated.

 _Yeah, yeah laugh it up Pig. I'll become way bigger than your fat ass could ever dream of._

"So," Niall said as he picked a pen out of the jar and started writing on the first form, "Still want pizza for dinner, fatso?"

"Just hurry up and sign, dumbass."


	3. Chapter 3

"Now what Tattletale?" Alec heard Grue say as he stepped into the backroom. He didn't hear her response, but he didn't care. _I guess I never really cared what she had to say._

He shouldered the bag that contained his costume and stepped out of the warehouse. The street behind the warehouse was dirty, but deserted. He made his way past a rusted "Loading Bay" shutter door and onto the main street. Walking quickly, he reached the bus stop where they had walked Nikil from and got on to the bus that quickly arrived. He walked to the back of the mostly empty bus and sat in the last seat. As they were pulling away, the sound of shattering glass and gunfire echoed down the street. He saw the bus' occupants gasp and crane their necks at the back window Alec closed his eyes.

* * *

Alec received the call from Coil just a half hour before the job. He and Grue were waiting in a coffee shop next to the bus stop before the Arcadia stop. He was in the bathroom, washing his hands, when his phone vibrated.

"Hello?"

"Jean-Paul AKA Regent AKA Hijack," a silky voice said on the other end of the phone.

"Who the fuck is this?" Alec replied as he quickly checked the stalls in the bathroom for occupants.

"Your employer. You might be more familiar with my pseudonym, Coil. I have a job for you Regent." Coil paused, expecting a response. _I see where Tattletale get's it from_ Alec thought to himself. Somehow, Alec wasn't surprised by who his boss was.

"You already gave my team a job Coil." he said calmly. _Just get to your point_.

"No see, this one is just for you. And it is quite simple. I know you will need to change in the backroom of the warehouse when you arrive there. Instead of doing that, leave. Why will be made quite clear, once you have left. Take the bus to the address I have texted you, and walk to the foreman's building. He will handle the rest. And rest assured, you will be well compensated, Jean-Paul."

 _He really knows how to fuck with people_.

"You're asking me to betray my team."

"I never got the impression you cared much for them. But, I assumed you would need some motivation. You will be receiving your teammates' shares as well as your own. Is this satisfactory?"

Alec didn't _hate_ any of his team members. Except for Bitch, she's a, well, bitch. And Grue, he's always bossing him around and beating him up, in 'sparring' matches. And Tattletale's a know it all, always being condescending. And Taylor has a stick up her ass all the time.

 _Isn't even a nice ass..._

 _Fuck 'em._

"You've got a deal boss."

He hung up and walked out of the restroom.

* * *

Did he feel a little bad? Sure. But Alec knew from experience, money had a way of making any strange, moral quandaries disappear. The bus pulled to a stop, and Alec looked up. The sun was beginning to set, but it looked like he was here. Next to the bus stop, in the middle of down town, was a construction site. A half constructed skyscraper, it looked like that parking lot and garage were finished.. Alec got off the bus and made his way into the construction site.

He walked past concrete mixers and bulldozers until he saw the small, white trailer with the sign 'FOREMAN' written on it. Alec made a beeline for it. The workday was just ending, so he had to navigate his way through the crowd of workers leaving. A few looked at him curiously, but most ignored him. Once he was at the door too the foreman's office, Alec debated whether or not he should knock. _Fuck it; Coil's messed with me enough for today._ He pushed the door open.

Inside was a fairly neat office, if a little sparse. The only furniture was a small desk with two folding chairs in front of small desk with a phone and walked looked like blueprints on it. The large man sitting behind the desk got up and asked him "You Regent?"

"Yep."

"Get dressed in here kid. When you're done, and you've heard the van pull up, get outside and into the van as quickly as possible. I'll drive you to Coil."

"I thought I was already at Coil's?" Alec asked, just a little bit frustrated. The foreman didn't answer; he just got up and shut the blinds on the one lone window in the trailer. Then he left.

"Fucking Coil."

* * *

After he was dressed, Regent stepped outside, and saw the open white van doors, positioned so it would be impossible for anyone from the street to see him get in the vehicle. He quickly got in the van and shut the doors, leaving himself in total darkness. The moment they were closed, the van lurched and started moving. The front of the van was shut off so Regent couldn't see where he was going or the foreman, who was presumably driving. _Great, now I won't know if Coil is just gonna drive me off somewhere to get murdered. Actually, judging by today, I wouldn't know even if I could see where we were going_.

The van stopped only once. There was a grinding noise somewhere ahead of them, and the van started moving again. When it stopped again, the van doors were opened from the outside. Blinking from the light Regent carefully stepped out. The doors had been opened by a burly man wearing what could have been PRT armor, if not for the fact that it was colored black, and had a coiled snake where the PRT badge should be. "Come on, Coil is waiting for you." Coil's mercenary told him, and then turned around. That's when Regent saw the rifle with those famous laser projector attachments on it. Numbly, he followed the large man.

The van reversed direction behind them, and Regent couldn't help but turn around to watch it leave. The foreman pressed a button on the van's dashboard and the wall behind the van split open with that same grinding noise from earlier. Regent saw what looked like a standard parking garage beyond the wall, which closed shut the moment the van passed through. _The hell have I gotten myself into?_ Regent turned back around to follow the large mercenary, who was already at a large metal door the resembled a bank vault. Quickening his footsteps, he caught up to the man, who took off his glove and pressed his hand to a sensor on the door. Beeping with recognition, the door slid several feet to the right, enough for them to pass through side by side. It shut behind them with a large thud, as Regent gawped at the scene in front of him.

It looked like something right out of the Earth Aleph movies Regent watched too much of. The only fully constructed structure in the massive complex seemed to be a vault right in the middle, but it was all still very impressive. There appeared to be dozens of mercenaries and other workers everywhere, populating the complexes barracks, mess hall and armory. He saw metal stairs going up to walkways that led to rooms and offices on a second floor above him. More than anything, it was the scale of everything that took his breath away. _Not even the E88 could compete with this. Just who the hell is Coil_?

"Impressive, is it not?" that same silky voice from the phone said from his left. Regent looked and saw the man he'd betrayed his team to. Coil walked towards him, wearing a skin tight black bodysuit that covered his body from head to toe, just like the snake that traced its way along the whole outfit. Painfully thin and seemingly impossibly tall, Coil was more imposing in person than any of the pictures on Parahumans Online could have prepared him for.

"This is the scope of organization you will be joining," the snake in human skin told him, "My organization. You are just one of several parahumans in my employ, including one young lady who was...persuaded to join my cause just this morning. Her precognitive abilities are what told me your team needed to be eliminated. 85% chance that Hellhound betrays me in the future, 86% chance that Grue betrays me in the future, and 90% chance the Tattletale betrays me in the future. Bug girl had a 95% chance of betraying me, with almost a 99% chance of betraying me, once she found out about my source. Those numbers were simply unacceptable. You understand this, yes?"

Regent found himself nodding. _Only makes sense for him to do what he did, doesn't make him any less of a creep though._ "You do know bug girl wasn't in the warehouse, right? I hope that doesn't affect my payment."

"It will not Regent; you will be receiving your full $50,000 in cash this evening, as well as compensation for the cash you had stashed at the loft."

"Wait, what the hell are you gonna do to the loft?"

Coil didn't answer, just turned and walked up a set of stairs. Regent's power told him a few of Coil's nerves had fired before he walked away, giving him his answer.

 _That bastard just smiled. What's gonna happen to Taylor?_

* * *

Taylor walked up the stairs in the warehouse, quickly reaching the door to the loft. _Dad had to make me stay for dinner and watch TV with him._ With the bank robbery off, she'd texted Armsmaster and told him their meeting was off too; the Halbeard hadn't been too pleased _._ Then she'd texted Lisa that she'd be late, that she had to wait for her dad to fall asleep before she snuck out. Lisa hadn't answered. Lisa always answered. Taylor had gotten to the loft as quickly as possible, but public transport was only so effective. It was almost midnight by the time she'd reached the ware house.

Pulling out her keys, Taylor got ready to open door when she stopped. Her bugs had noticed something. Before going on the mission, Lisa had told Taylor that Bitch was only taking Brutus, and to be ready for the other two dogs that she routinely used. They wouldn't be hostile this time, but Lisa had still advised bringing a few treats with her, so Taylor had picked up a packet of dog biscuits at the corner store a block from the loft. But as Taylor's bugs explored the apartment, she didn't feel any dogs. Nor did she hear them.

Backing away from the door, Taylor had her swarm check the door. There was a wire stretched across the doorway. Her bugs were able to safely land on the wire, but if she had opened the door, it would have activated. Grimly, Taylor pulled off the sweatshirt and jeans she wore over her costume and stuffed them in her backpack, along with her glasses. She slid her mask on, slipped her backpack over her slender shoulders, and then took the stairs down, two at a time. _Whoever took down the team will not get me that easily._

Taylor slipped out the back of the warehouse and continued around it to the alley that connected to the main road. Her bugs were doing a full sweep of her two block radius, but didn't notice anything immediately suspicious. As she reached the sidewalk, there was an explosion above her. Taylor immediately looked up to see the top floor of the warehouse completely ablaze. At the same time, her swarms told her three men with rifles were stepping out of the van across the street. She ducked behind the van Grue had rented for the bank job as the bullets from their rifles tore the air above her. She gathered her entire swarm, and attacked. Ants, wasps, bees, mosquitoes, beetles, cockroaches, flies, and much more swarmed the men. Taylor's swarm sense told her they were covered head to toe, in what felt like hazmat suits with armor plating. Even their faces were covered, with thick glass visors. How they were able to see was beyond her, but they kept firing at her position, taking turns. One fired, and then reloaded, as the next one fired and so on. The bullets slammed into the van's engine block and hood, and whizzed above her head.

 _What the fuck am I supposed to do now?_

* * *

"Why does he always yell like that? Repeat her name three times, I mean." Niall asked me, from the opposite end of the couch, his mouth full of anchovies pizza.

"He's autistic or something. Maybe the repetitive behavior calms him." I replied, between bites of pizza. If there were two things my brother and I agreed on, it was that anchovies were good and must be had anytime something big happened. Me getting kidnapped and then essentially being forced at glare point to join the Wards definitely qualified.

"Explains why he's counting bullets like that. That's hard to do, trust me."

We'd gotten back from the PRT just an hour ago. The paperwork, slow reaming of my brother's ass, and picking up of glorious anchovie pizza had taken some time and sanity. _Nothing some late night Earth Aleph ridiculousness can't fix. Seriously, how do they come up with this stuff?_

It's true; Earth Bet entertainment is way staler, especially because it's so saturated with so many superhero stories. Though, I suppose, so is Earth Aleph's. The difference is, their "superheroes" have such weak powers, and they aren't particularly famous, definitely not enough to have several million dollars spent on movies, TV shows and video games about them. Instead, the superheroes they spend that money on are way more creative than how we handle it here. Space alien raised here since he was a baby sent here from his exploding planet? Cool. Teen's parents murdered in an alley, leading to a completely inaccurate depiction of a trigger event that grants a deux ex machina power? Completely over done.

So I suppose that's why I always watched Earth Aleph shows and stuff, and always tried to get Niall to watch them with me. It was bonding for us. We used to do it, back when we had just started renting this tiny apartment, but he worked too much now.

Well tiny is unfair to say to Niall, but it's true. It's a two bedroom apartment, with a tiny living room, connected to a kitchen. Plain white walls, with thin beige carpet, it was best described as... meh. We'd had a house, but Niall had insisted on selling it after our parents went the way of the dodo, to pay off their large credit card debt. He'd also insisted on saving up most of his no inconsiderable income for my college, which was why we lived here. _Now that I'm a Ward, maybe he'll want to upgrade? Can't exactly bring any self respecting girls to this du-_

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a large explosion, followed by what sounded like gunfire coming from several assault rifles. Niall immediately sprang to action, letting his pizza fall on the floor while sprinting to the window in my room, which seemed the closest to the noise.

"You want ants Niall? That's how you get ants!" I yelled as I followed him to my room.

"I'd bet your life that has something to do with those Undersiders who kidnapped you today," he said, completely ignoring my comedic genius.

"Why do you always bet my life?" I said, as I crouched next to him, peeking over the window sill.

About a block down the street, the top floor of one of the warehouses was on fire. Three men standing next to a van were firing at another one across the street.

"I'm calling for backup, you stay here," he said as he got up, and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"No way, I'm a Ward now remember?" I said as I stood up and walked to my closet. "No way am I letting you be the hero without me from now on."

"What are you gonna do? Wait, what did you make?" he asked as I pulled a box out of my closet.

I grinned as I pulled out the quadcopter, VR helmet and remote control out of the box. The quadcopter has 4 rotors attached at the four corners of a long, cylindrical body, a fairly obvious camera, and two antennas; the facing up was for communication with the helmet and remote control, the one facing down was for...diabolical purposes. The whole thing was black, with blue LEDs on the tips of the rotor blades, to make the whole thing to look like its being supported by four glowing halos while it was flying at night. "I call this the Sagittarii Mark 1. That's what the Roman's called their archery units by the way, my dear uneducated army veteran of a brother."

I walked over to the window and opened it while my brother gawped at the Sagittarii. "You told Piggot your specialization was autonomous systems, right? So you won't actually be anywhere near the danger?" he asked, looking at me nervously. _Aww, he does care._

"That's right, so don't worry," I gave him a quick hug, then pulled on the helmet "Don't worry about me, you call your back up."

With that, I activated the drone, and sent it out the window. Suddenly, the only things I could hear or see were what the drone could with its sensors. I faintly heard my brother swear, and grinned as I moved down the street. Although I'd tested the drone's movement in the abandoned shipyard I got most of its parts from, I hadn't gotten a chance to test out the weapon systems. I had no idea if it was powerful enough. _Better keep it on non lethal then. I doubt Piggot would appreciate a body count on my very first night out._

The Sagittarii silently hovered above its targets as I scanned the area. There were bugs everywhere, and my thermal sensors revealed a thin form hiding behind the van across the street. _Bug girl, the one that took down Lung._ The public thought Armsmaster had somehow given Lung that brutal takedown all by himself. My brother had told me the truth. Apparently, Armsmaster had told his superiors that bug girl was lying low, and had simply joined a low threat gang. _Clearly not true anymore, Halbeard_. _So is this the Undersiders' boss targeting one of their two members still at large for finally failing a job, or something more?_

I didn't have much time left to think about it. Bug girl was putting her entire swarm on the three men, and wasn't doing a dent. All she was managing to do was slow their forward movement to a crawl. _Easy pickings for me._

I swooped in low, and hit the one who was currently firing at her with an electric shock. He went down, and my sensors checked his pulse. _Slowed heartbeat, unconscious but alive. It worked, I'm a fucking superhero!_

My celebration was cut off as one of gun men raised his rifle and fired at me. It pinged of the Sagittarii's kinetic shields, and I quickly banked to the side, till I was directly in front of them. As they slowly raised their rifles, I activated my electromagnet, and ripped the rifles from their hands. _Using that shield took way more out of my battery than I thought it would. Not enough left for an electric shock; let's hope Panacea's on call._

I changed the charge on my electromagnet, angling the guns barrel down, each one facing one of them. Both men were trying and failing to pull their side arms out. _Webbing on the holsters? Nice work skinny_. Two tiny arms extended out of the sides of the Sagittarii's long body and gripped the handles of the two rifles.

 _CRACK CRACK_

Both were men were down, clutching their stomachs, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. _They'll live; the PRT, and their medics, are less than three minutes away, according to the police scanner on this thing. And judging by that engine roar, the Halbeard is even closer on that ridiculous bike of his._

Skinny ( _did she eat?)_ stepped out from behind the van, and the swarm receded to gather around her. I turned Sagittarii to look at her, while adjusting the magnet and the arms to keep the rifles facing the men on the ground. She had on what looked like a basic girl's school bag on, but her costume is what impressed me. She had a black skintight body suit on, with armor panels of an unidentified material strapped on over it. The yellow goggles that were her eyes were staring directly at my camera. _Creepy... but effective. I gotta get design tips from her_.

"Who are you?" she called out, in a voice more normal than I thought someone who looked like that would have.

"You can call me Legion, and on behalf of the Brockton Bay Wards and PRT, you are under arrest."


End file.
